Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

This legislation has had no pre-legislative scrutiny, proper committee debate or anything else. We had two minutes each to speak. Thankfully, we now have four minutes each to discuss such a huge piece of legislation which will have overwhelming effects. It completely tramples on the Constitution. The Minister, Deputy Donnelly, when he was in Opposition railed against guillotines and everything else. Does he ever look in the mirror and ask how he got to make such a turnaround and turn himself inside out?

Our Constitution is meant to be sacrosanct. Article 40.3.1° protects the right to bodily integrity of all citizens. Article 40.6.1° guarantees the right of citizens to assemble peacefully. Article 44.2.1° guarantees to every citizen the freedom to practise his or her religion. Will the Minister tell us where the Constitution is in this Bill?

I was astounded last Sunday. I was invited to the National Day of Commemoration ceremony at Dublin Castle, as was the Ceann Comhairle. I could not sit through it. My stomach would churn to see senior politicians commemorating the Truce and War of Independence when people fought for the very freedoms the Government is tonight voting away from them. What a turnaround. Collins and all the others are turning in their graves at an enormous speed. It is truly shocking. The worst part of it is that the Minister has lost the public. He lost my trust a long time ago.

The provisions of the Bill will operate until 9 October 2021. Tomorrow night, we will all go off on our merry way, on holiday on full pay, and the Minister can do what he likes. The Bill contains a provision that enables an extension for some additional period, not exceeding three months, if the appropriate resolution is passed by the House tonight.

Worse than that, the scary part of this is that the Minister railed against this in opposition. I was with him at meetings in the Taoiseach's office when he railed against it. He has done such a flip-flop. What happens when one gets into power? Whose is the heavy hand above the Minister getting him to sign all this legislation? The worst part is in section 31AE, which provides for inspection and enforcement by the Health Service Executive. I understand 300 HSE staff are to be assigned to the work and the Health and Safety Authority has another 70 staff for the purpose. The sad part about it is that it allows the Minister the power under statutory instrument to appoint bodies as he may see fit by order. The Minister could appoint the Army or a security company. That is the most shocking aspect of this legislation. We are going away from this House at midnight tonight, having voted on the Bill. People are wringing their hands all evening. Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael backbenchers are nearly not going to vote for it, but they are going to vote for it, on reflection. We could not wait until Friday to debate it. We could not wait until next week to debate it properly. We are giving the Minister the power to sign any instrument he likes.

Hospitality businesses have been on their knees and we are introducing a system of medical apartheid. That could not be clearer to me anyway. We are going to pit brother against brother, father against son, mother against daughter and families against families. We expect the publicans and the hospitality trade to handle this. Already, they got no money from the insurance companies although they had insurance against the cessation of business due to a pandemic but the Government did not do a thing about it. Not one of them has been paid and they are struggling. There is a threat now that the PUP will be removed.

Deputy Naughten was correct when he mentioned that people can go into cinemas and get popcorn and a Coke and there is no passport. What does the Government, and in particular the Minister, have against the hospitality industry? It is something serious. Musicians want to get back to play and entertain us all and give us a bit of enjoyment, sport and a bit of solace. They are banished completely. They never get to play. The Tánaiste told me they might play a bit of music and we might talk loudly and spread the virus. My goodness - such kindergarten, juvenile, pedantic baloney. I never saw the beat of it. It is shocking. I ask the Minister to withdraw this legislation. He should not have any more smash-and-grabs for more powers. He has got too many powers and he has abused them disgracefully.

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